Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1887-01-27
the Tater-state Commerce BIN.


The following summary of some of the
advantages of the Interstate Commerce
Bill we take from the Baltimore Stm The
hue and cry against Senator Camden, who
was patron of this bill and whose "short
haul" provision "is particularly directed
against'injustice to localities" will be 81
lenced-at least will no longer be INDUCED
by thoughtful, reasonable men:
"The leading requirement is that the
rates charged on lines of transportation
crossing State lines shall be reasonable and
lust" Rates may not be put unreasonably
high. but must bear some proportion to the
cost of service No maximum rate Is fixed
in terms, but the railroad commission crea-
ted by the act is competent 10 rule that any
given rate complained of, whether for trans
portation. handling or storage, is excessive
and must be reduced. The requirement
that rates shall be lust is the pith OF the
act Unjust determinations, whether by
special rates, rebates, drawbacks, "or other
device" are prohibited under penalty of
fine not to exceed $1,000 for each ohense.
ANY preference or advantage given to any
particular person, company, firm, corpora
ton, locality or description OF traffic sub
iects the offender to Il like fine. These two
provisions make unlawful practices through
which thousands of persons and localities
have grown rich at the expense of other
persons and localities The large shipper,
for example, under the act, will not 'get
special rate" because he is a large shipper.
The small shipper who ships a single ton
of a given article by rail will pay no more
per ton for It's carriage than his rich rival
who ships a hundred times rs much every
lav of the year The Standard Oil Compa-
nv will pay the same that others do, and
the great coal companies will find 1t i'm
practicable under the act to fix the price OF
coal in all the great cities and make the sale
of it a virtual monopoly by means OF agree
ments As to the rates made with the rail-
roads Bvno scheme of rebates, drawbacks,
cor other device" will the railroads be per-
mitted longer to build up pet firms or 10
calities, in which their officials may have
AN interest, and wreck their rivals through
discriminating rates devised to that end.
The long d-shOrt haul section is parllcu-
larry directed against injustice to localities.
! Under that section it will not be feasible
TO charge more for hauling a carload Of
freight ten miles than is charged for haul
ing it over the same line in the same direc-
ton hundred miles The farmer of par $
of Virginia, West Virginia and Maryland
at present funds competition with Western
/ producers ruinOus. because he pays more
/ for the carriage Of his grain to Baltimore
/ than the Illinois farmer does. The high
! rates paid by the farmer in these States ac-
tually 90 to pay the expense of hauling his
| competitors grain ut unremuneratiye prices
Under the act shippers living east Of the
/ Aileganirs will at least be On an equal foot
ing with the shippers living west Of the
/ Mississippi. Immense relief will thus be
| afforded both to individuals and localities
! that have been sacrificed to through bust
ness. IT is quite possible that The lowering
| of local rates will on some lines require
| higher through rates where the local rates
were not simply exorbitant. The long and
short-haul section will permit the establish
ment Of industries throughout the country
ut any point presenting natural advantages,
and will correct the present tendency to
concentrate manufacturing enterprises in
great cities or other competitive points only
where the rates are low. The effect will be
to multiply thriving villages, develop local
enterprise, and make living in the country
more popular because less expensive than
at present"